


Like Me

by T0wer0fStrength



Series: Crystal Days and Starlit Nights [1]
Category: Manic Street Preachers, Music RPF
Genre: AU, Domestic Fluff, Idle Chat, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22978390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T0wer0fStrength/pseuds/T0wer0fStrength
Summary: Present Day AU. Nicky and Richey talk over a cup of tea at their shared countryside cottage.
Relationships: Richey Edwards/Nicky Wire
Series: Crystal Days and Starlit Nights [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1653193
Kudos: 9





	Like Me

**Author's Note:**

> Your typical disclaimer; this is an AU, so many aspects of real events have been, respectfully, omitted. This is simply a work of fiction designed for your and my own enjoyment, so please enjoy this absolute mess I wrote while in the back of an Uber trapped in city centre traffic.   
> This is what became the first part to a series of short non-linear oneshots which can be read in any order the reader desires. - T0wer0fStrength, 1/3/2020 xx

_South Wales, March 2020_

In the afternoon sun, a lone cherry blossom tree shed its petals adrift to the breeze. It was cold, and yet the sky was clear and bright. Richey folded his arms tight to his chest and smiled, a black lead in one gloved hand, carrier bag in the other, as he watched the spaniel pad and paw around the base of the tree. “Bax? C’mon, sweetheart.”  
The pup spun around and ambled towards him, rubbing her little head against his knee. “Good girl, let’s go home, yeah?” He said, scratching her soft ears and attaching the lead to her diamanté collar; the one Nick had insisted on buying her. He looked up at the tree again. Cherry blossoms; they die at the height of their beauty. Nature could be cruel like that sometimes. Richey stifled a sigh. He’d been lucky. He was a lucky man. He glanced at his mobile phone, despite his hatred for the horrible little bit of plastic, and with a cold shiver and a last ear scratch, they set off walking.

Nicky carried the teapot and two mugs towards the dining table, humming idly to himself, looking over the garden through the kitchen window. Spring was in the air once again. It seemed to come around quicker every year. His head raised to the sound of the front door latch and the skittering of paws across hardwood.  
“Hello, Bax!” He grinned, setting them down. “Hello!”  
Richey closed the door behind him and hung up the lead.  
“Hey, Rich!” Nicky called from the kitchen.  
“Hi, babe.” Said Richey, placing the carrier bag of shopping on the side and walking into Nicky’s embrace, planting a kiss on his cheek.  
“God, you’re freezing!”  
“Tell me about it.”  
“Kettle’s just boiled. You’ll warm up in a bit.” Said Nicky, running his hands down the side of Richey’s coat.  
Richey smiled up at him and unpacked the shopping. “Catch.” He tossed a Mars bar towards Nicky.  
“Aw, Rich!” He giggled.  
“Thought I’d get you something.”  
Nicky hugged him tight from behind. “Thank you!”  
“Oh, it’s nothing, babe. I only got you some chocolate, I didn’t save your life or anything.”  
“Mhm. I love you.”  
“I love you, too, Nick.”  
“Now get your coat off and look like you’re staying. Sit down; the tea’s getting cold.”

Richey held the mug in both hands, allowing the steam to rise over his face. “I’m getting a nice tea facial here!” He chuckled.  
“Must be good for the skin.” Nicky hummed from across the table, feeding half a biscuit to the puppy at his feet.  
“Remember when we were younger and you used toothpaste to exfoliate?”  
“Course I do.”  
“Did that ever work?”  
He scoffed. “Not really,” he said through a mouthful of chocolate.  
“Everything’s worth a try when you’re young though, isn’t it?”  
“What on earth are you trying to say, Rich?”  
“Well, I suppose, a lot of things would be different if we’d not, seen what worked and what didn’t. Small decisions can lead to different long-term outcomes.” He glanced from the still shining strip of gold on his ring finger, to Nicky in front of him. “I never thought it’d turn out this way…I’m happy it did.”  
Nicky nodded. “So am I. I always loved you.” He slid his hand towards Richey. “Hey.”  
He held the other man’s hand, as he’d done so many times, so delicately. “Hey.”  
“All you needed was for someone to love you, and, so many people did, but nobody loved you,”  
Richey smirked. “Like you?”  
Nicky nodded. “Like me,” he took a sip of his tea. “Anyway, what’s for dinner, baby?”  
He laughed. “Fuck off, Nick.”


End file.
